So much so that the beauty and historical significance of one of the most important sites, Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, is now being threatened by tall buildings that are built in the vicinity. [break]
As a result, Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, which is enlisted in the UNESCO´s World Heritage Sites, is likely to be transferred to UNESCO´s endangered list.
Though people are not allowed to build their houses taller than 35 feet around the core area of Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, most houses in the area are built taller than 35 feet.
In a bid to preserve its cultural and historical value, Department of Archeology (DoA) has set limit on the height of buildings that are built around the durbar square area. But the rule has not been enforced strictly. Although people are living and constructing tall houses, the DoA has not taken any strong actions to discourage the trend.
“We have formed a committee to study the houses that have violated the set standard,” says Ram Bahadur, spokesperson of the DoA. “After the study team submits it report, we will take action against such house owners.”
According to the DoA, the committee will finish the inventory work within a year. In which they will have list of such houses which have not maintained standard and also the houses which were built before the standard took effect.
Although the DoA had tried several times to take action against the house owners, the people were not ready to maintain the standard. “During my tenure, I had carried out inspection work in all the cultural sites which have been enlisted in the UNESCO´s World Heritage Site, including Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square,” says Bishnu Raj Karki, ex-director general of the DoA.
According to Karki, Suraj Arcade of Makhhan Tol is the only building which has faced strict action. The DoA had destroyed the top floor of the building.
“After Suraj Arcade, I do not have any idea whether the Department of Archeology has taken such strict action against any other tall buildings,” says Karki.
“Till date, I do not think the department has any record about the number of such houses. Due to the lack of strict action against such house and house owners, people continue to build such houses every day.”
Voxpop
First, the government must itself follow rules and standards before expecting people to follow the standards. They are renovating cultural heritages without maintaining the standards. Today, they are painting different statues of god and goddess with bright colors, which is not allowed according to the standard.
And the next thing is about the standards, which are very difficult to maintain by the common people like us. Roof top café, which is situated on the top floor of my house, is a major income source of my family. But it´s very hard to enter my house because of the low ceiling of my house. Though there are still many standards to be maintained, I have tried to maintain the height of my house. The concerned authority must also think whether the standards set by them are putting the public in difficulty. We want to live in a comfortable and luxurious house, but we cannot because of the standards.
Bhagwati Joshi, 64
Basantapur
I am ready to maintain the standards of the DoA, which is not sufficient. And I have maintained the standards of the house more than any of the house of my area. If all the people will be ready to maintain the standards of their houses than our area will look more beautiful and artistic.
The concerned authorities should take strong initiation to maintain the standards in the cultural site otherwise big buildings will eclipse the cultural heritage and the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square will be enlisted in UNESCO´s endangered list.
Although it´s important to maintain standards of the area of cultural heritage site, the concerned authorities must look at locals, too. The concerned authority should bear in mind that locals of Basantapur have compromised a lot in order to maintain the standards.
Sandesh Manandhar, 39
Basantapur
Department of Archeology (DoA) set standards for the construction work and preservation in the core area of Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square.
Apart from keeping the height of the buildings to below 35 feet, people are not allowed to build more than four stories. The houses built in the core area of the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square are required to leave sufficient spaces around their buildings. Similarly, the houses should be load bearing or earthquake resistance as there is high risk of destruction during earthquake, which may damage the cultural heritage site as well.
Likewise, people are not allowed to color their houses with bright color and in front side people are not allowed to use cement, white cement but they can use cement in the corner of their doors and windows. The slopes of their houses must be inside their land area.
Similarly people should bear in mind while constructing their house, they should manage water drainage system within their houses, and they are not allowed to let the water spill into the public spaces. All the houses which are built in the core area of the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square must have artistic doors and windows and they should use only wooded frames for the doors. And people are not allowed to use iron railing, shutters or chain gate in their houses.
And if people want to put rolling shutter in their shops, they should hide it by wood frames from outside. Similarly if people want to put grill in their windows, then they should put it in such a way that window´s wooden frame must hide the entire iron grill of their windows. The roof of the houses should have slate which shows the houses a bit of cultural and of historical style. People are allowed to build cantilever in their third floor, which should not be wider than three meter. People are not allowed to build cantilever by recessing neighbor´s house among others.
Those old houses which were built before the formation of the standards, must maintain the structure and value. People are not allowed to destroy or reconstruct the house without the permission of the DoA and they are not allowed to change any structure of the house, especially, of the outer part of the house.
For those people who want to reconstruct their house or carry out any maintenance work in their old house, the DoA gives appropriate suggestions, and, according to the suggestion, people should carry out their work. The DoA will give permission and suggestion to only those people whose house needs immediate renovation and maintenance.
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